{EOP}Lahore High Court seeks details of Americans in Pakistan

The Lahore High Court Thursday called for reply from the federal and the provincial governments to a petition which has prayed to the court for acquiring complete details of the number of Americans and other foreigners living in the country as well as the roles they are performing here. The LHC has been moved by a local lawyer Noshab A Khan against the backdrop of murder of two young Pakistanis at Mozang Chowk by a USZ citizen Raymond Davis, on January 27. He submitted that lack of correct information about the accused Raymond was causing immense problems to the public and himself too to know what actually his name and on what mission he was here when he gunned down two young Pakistanis. He prayed to the court for a direction to the ministries of interior and foreign affairs to provide all necessary information to home secretary Punjab about foreigners in the province, their duties and functions, whereabouts, movements and designs. He further prayed that the Punjab government be also directed to take all necessary measures to safeguard the precious lives and properties of the citizens especially at the hands of the foreigners. The court on Wednesday directed the Deputy Attorney General and the Assistant Advocate General to file reply to the petition within three weeks. Moreover, a local lawyer has moved a petition in the LHC to seek action against Raymond Davis for allegedly seeking visa on fake name and travelling to Pakistan on its basis.

The killer of two Pakistanis, Raymond Davis

Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafery contended that the respondent obtained visa on bogus name hence committed a fraud. The petitioner has also raised other issues that cast suspicions on his identity as diplomat on the basis of which USZ Embassy is seeking his release under the immunity law. Meanwhile, a petition has been filed in the LHC against the alleged “special treatment” being meted out to Raymond Davis by the police holding his custody at present. Ishtiaq Chaudhry advocate has filed the petition contending the authorities were treating the accused Raymond as a guest instead of a killer of two Pakistanis. He is also aggrieved of prosecution/police which produced him before a Court of magistrate at cantonment courts one hour earlier before the scheduled time on Thursday.He alleged that the police’s act of giving the accused VIP treatment is a malafide intent and deceit with the family and lawyers of the victims.

The petitioner also pointed out that the District Courts, Model Town, fell in the jurisdiction of Lytton Road police station where the case has been registered against Raymond but the accused was being produced before the Magisterial Court at Cantt with malafide intention and in violation of the law. The petitioner has prayed to the court to direct the prosecution to act strictly in accordance with the law and treat Davis like other murder accused.